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according to this statement the identity and truth of humans is defined by
their spiritual nature, the fact that humans are in the image of God.
Patriarchy reduces the rights, value, and social position of human beings
to their biological and reproductive characteristics. This move can only
make sense if we believe that God is a body, and that He is either male or
female. It is of course clear that God is defined precisely by His transcen-
dence from any of these physical and natural characteristics. Therefore if
one believes in the biblical statement, he or she must necessarily find patri-
archy inconsistent with the truth of the human being since we are defined
as the image of God and not merely as a material, biological, or physical
object. The same is true of racism, the caste system, and slavery. The fact
is that it appears that the history of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim nations
has frequently been a rejection of this central tenet of their own belief.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá invited both the people of the West and the people of the
East to recognize the truth of their belief and act accordingly. Addressing
the inconsistency of racism and a spiritual definition of human beings,
‘Abdu’l-Bahá said:
According to the words of the Old Testament God has said, “Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness.” This indicates that man is
of the image and likeness of God. . . .
Let us now discover more specifically how he is the image and like-
ness of God and what is the standard or criterion by which he can be
measured and estimated. This standard can be no other than the
divine virtues which are revealed in him. . . . Can we apply the test of
racial color and say that man of a certain hue—white, black, brown,
yellow, red—is the true image of his Creator? We must conclude that
color is not the standard and estimate of judgment and that it is of no
importance, for color is accidental in nature. The spirit and intelli-
gence of man is essential, and that is the manifestation of divine
virtues, the merciful bestowals of God, the eternal life and baptism
through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, be it known that color or race is
of no importance. . . . Man is not man simply because of bodily attrib-
utes. The standard of divine measure and judgment is his intelligence
and spirit. (
Promulgation
70)
The Journal of Bahá’í Studies 21. 1/4. 2011
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